


The Differences Between Us

by BrevitySoulWit93



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Bottom Arthur, Bottom Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Bottoming from the Top, Canon Era, Everyone Loves Arthur, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Idiots in Love, M/M, POV Gwen (Merlin), Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Polyamorous Character, Shameless Smut, Top Merlin (Merlin), Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:40:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28603845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrevitySoulWit93/pseuds/BrevitySoulWit93
Summary: Gwen might be love of Arthur's life, but there is also Merlin. And you know what? After seeing them together, she's cool with it.
Relationships: Gwen/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 191





	The Differences Between Us

**Author's Note:**

> Shameless, shameless smut. 
> 
> Un-beta'd, apologies for any mistakes, I shall fix upon re-reading. 
> 
> I own nothing, I just want everyone to be loved and happy. Merlin belongs to Shine/BBC.

By a mutual agreement reached in silence, Arthur and Gwen never discussed Merlin. Well, they did, of course, given that he was there almost every waking minute of every day, was Arthur’s manservant and one of their closest friends. Rather, they did not discuss what went on between Arthur and Merlin when no-one else was around.

Gwen knew the other nobles at court thought her a fool: what kind of wife would stand for her husband bedding his servant - what kind of queen? She, on the other hand, had never really minded. They kept it to themselves, and she knew with her whole heart that Arthur loved her with unerring devotion. It just so happened that he loved Merlin in much the same way, to much the same degree. The dynamic worked for them all, and so she never brought it up, and she never worried. Still, all of this did not mean she had never been curious.

On one particularly warm summer evening, raised voices carried on the breeze towards the queen of Camelot, strolling towards the citadel she called her home. With a fond smile, she recognised the pompous, entitled tone her husband always took when reprimanding his manservant for some small indiscretion. Merlin’s equally harried reply turned her footsteps towards the stables, and she peeped through a crack in the shutters, eager to avoid being seen. Their arguments were infamous, and best left uninterrupted.

Arthur had a broken bridle in his hand, and was waving it wildly as he shoved Merlin against the door of the stall. Gwen had never noticed before, but Merlin was just a fraction taller than her husband, and it seemed to be a fact he was altogether too proud of. The dark haired man snapped out some kind of pithy response to Arthur’s tirade, crowding him right back until he was flat against the wall right in front of her, giving her a perfect view of their profiles. Merlin pressed his forehead against Arthur’s, wresting the snapped leather from his grip and casting it amongst the straw.

Somehow, this was not the balance of power she would have expected between them. The king had always taken control in their relationship, and yet here he was, reduced to clutching weakly at Merlin’s sleeves as the other man held his gaze, blue eyes locked on blue. Arthur seemed to visibly tremble as Merlin bent his head just a fraction of an inch, capturing his lips in a searing kiss which spoke of apologies and promises and destiny. The queen watched as her husband sighed against the mouth of the other man, pulling away slightly and rewarding him with a heavy lidded smile of pure adoration.

In the recesses of her mind, Gwen knew she should take this opportunity to walk away - this was not for her eyes. Mesmerised by the pair of them, opposites in every way and yet so perfectly _one_ , she stayed where she was and admired the way the single ray of sunlight through the shutters illuminated Arthur’s golden hair. She watched intently as his long fingers tangled in the dark curls at the nape of Merlin’s neck, murmuring too softly for her to hear as the other man nosed just below his ear, placing a reverent, devoted kiss to the place where his jaw met his throat.

Gwen knew that spot drove Arthur mad, and she couldn’t help but smile as Merlin lavished as much attention there as he could, nipping at the skin in a way she knew would bruise. When Arthur said as much, the brunette man simply tossed his head back in a delighted laugh, his eyes flashing golden for a moment as he pressed his fingertips there, the once reddened skin smooth and unblemished once more.

Of all the things she had expected to see, Merlin inadvertently revealing his magic had not been one of them. To her surprise, Arthur did not look afraid. Instead, he wound one arm around Merlin’s waist and pulled them flush together, before grasping the hand which had healed him and kissing each fingertip with what could only be described as worship. Even from a short distance away, the unabashed tenderness in Merlin’s eyes was evident. It made her heart warm, to witness them like this: all of the sniping and barked orders and insults stripped away, to leave only two people who belonged to each other completely and unashamedly.

Her husband and his manservant began to kiss again, and Gwen reiterated to herself that she really ought to leave. Dutifully, she stepped away from the shutter, before being drawing back again like an arrow from a bow when she heard Arthur’s low, needy moan.

This _was_ new. Arthur was an excellent lover, constantly attentive and affectionate, and he had taken the time to get to know her body and how she liked to be made love to. He was a powerfully built man, and seemed only too happy to oblige her in whatever way she chose - she usually preferred to be taken from behind, driven to the edge by the tight grip he kept on her hips as he pounded into her, rough and punishing. However, no matter how much his muscles burned, no matter how overwhelming the pleasure, he very rarely made a sound. 

Now, he actually _keened_ , bucking his hips as Merlin cupped his erection through his breeches, their kisses having turned open mouthed and filthy in the few short moments her attention had been diverted. The sound sent a bolt of lightening through her, a gush of heat rushing to the spot between her legs which she was determined to have Arthur taste later that evening. The king mumbled something halfheartedly about not getting caught, and immediately the stable door clattered closed of its own accord, the bolt drawing across with a reassuring thud. All of this with just a flourish of Merlin’s fingers where they clutched at Arthur’s hip.

Within minutes, Merlin had stripped them both naked with a practiced deftness that left her shivering. Arthur, too, quivered, his breath coming in short gasps as the other man dropped to his knees before him, taking his leaking, aching cock into his mouth in one smooth motion. Gwen pressed her mouth into the back of her hand as she watched, stomach writhing and core aching with arousal. Merlin began to bob his head obscenely, hollowing out his cheeks and taking Arthur’s sizeable length as deeply as he could without gagging. The king watched through his eyelashes, face flushed and sweat already beading upon his beautiful brow.

Before long, he began to plead, tugging at Merlin’s hand where it gripped his thigh and slipping it between his legs, parting them a little further. Laughing gently, Merlin pulled off and muttered some words in a language Gwen did not understand - the language of sorcery. Waggling his fingers suggestively, she saw that they were now slick with fluid, and again was rocked by a jolt of surprise. Was he really going to…?

Sure enough, those slicked fingers made their way back between Arthur’s legs, presumably between the cheeks of his delicious backside. Merlin’s right arm began to move slowly in an unmistakable thrusting movement that rendered Arthur speechless, the warlock kissing every single battle scar within reach. The sounds Arthur made became even more incoherent than before as he tugged Merlin to his feet, widening his stance as much as he could and crushing their lips together desperately.

As time passed, Arthur’s eyes began to flutter closed, the hand that pulled lazily at Merlin’s pretty cock stuttering in its rhythm as the muscles of his stomach spasmed in pleasure. The king collapsed bonelessly forwards into Merlin’s arms, lips brushing the pale shoulder below them as he downright begged his manservant to fuck him.

Interesting.

Merlin pulled away, hopping neatly up onto the little preparation table, sitting far enough back to lean against the wall while long, pale legs still dangled over the side. Every muscle in his body taught, Arthur straddled him, kissing the paler man languorously before guiding the tip of his cock to his entrance and sliding down on it with a sigh that sounded like coming home.

Gwen looked on in fascination as the fiercest warrior in the five kingdoms came apart before her eyes in a way she’d never witnessed before. Gone was the dutiful husband, the brave knight, the kind-hearted king. In his place was a man in the arms of someone who loved him; taking their time in their lovemaking; Arthur sinking down onto Merlin’s length over and over again, each thrust punctuated with a needy whimper when they were fully joined. She could see his straining cock trapped between their stomachs, and itched to take it into her mouth to help him along.

They moved slowly, reverently, their mouths meeting in butterfly soft kisses which melted like snow, their eyes open and connected, each seeming to gaze into the others very soul.

For the first time, Gwen felt the tiniest pang of sadness. She knew Arthur loved her, would do anything for her just as she would him, but this seemed different. They belonged together, like two pieces of a puzzle, made to be one. The overarching feeling was one of contentment, as she noticed the hitch in Arthur’s breathing and the way he circled his hips more insistently on the downstroke.

Merlin took him in hand, then, a flick of his thumb here and a twist of his wrist there causing Arthur to tip over the edge, Merlin’s name on his lips like a prayer as he spilled, hot and white and sticky, between their bellies. Merlin’s climax followed soon after, Arthur working him through it and milking him for all the had.

After they caught their breath they slumped together, chest to chest and shaking with laughter, Merlin’s quip about forgiveness silenced by Arthur’s affectionate flick to the ear.

Drawing away from the shutter, Gwen took a deep breath and smiled. Despite herself, all she cared about was that Arthur was loved, and happy, and safe. Which he was, both with her, and with Merlin. Had there ever been a man so adored? Had there every been a man so deserving of the love he got, yet one who expected so little?

Nothing would change between them - she was the love of his life, she knew, a love that would be the stuff of legend. But it seemed as though Merlin might just be that mythical thing one heard tell of in stories of old: his soulmate.


End file.
